Beauty of Compassion Underscores Ugliness of Politicians

Beauty of Compassion Underscores Ugliness of Politicians
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
August 6, 2014

Summary: Blue and green camp supporters caught up in partisan political struggles are competing to demonize each other. Society is permeated with negativism. People are gradually losing confidence in the nation's future. A major gas explosion in Kaohsiung has yet again highlighted the government's slapdash public safety measures, the politicians' evasion of responsibility, and the media's biased reporting. Fortunately we are also witnessing the humane side of Taiwan society. This has not vanished as a result of political battles and social divisions. The "big bang" occurred less than a week ago. Since then people from all walks of life have donated nearly 10 billion NT to disaster relief. Large numbers of volunteers and large quantities of relief materiel have already reached the disaster site. Every corner of society continues to offer prayers and condolences to Kaohsiung.

Full Text Below:

Blue and green camp supporters caught up in partisan political struggles are competing to demonize each other. Society is permeated with negativism. People are gradually losing confidence in the nation's future. A major gas explosion in Kaohsiung has yet again highlighted the government's slapdash public safety measures, the politicians' evasion of responsibility, and the media's biased reporting. Fortunately we are also witnessing the humane side of Taiwan society. This has not vanished as a result of political battles and social divisions. The "big bang" occurred less than a week ago. Since then people from all walks of life have donated nearly 10 billion NT to disaster relief. Large numbers of volunteers and large quantities of relief materiel have already reached the disaster site. Every corner of society continues to offer prayers and condolences to Kaohsiung.

We are pleased to see senior members of the ruling and opposition parties dedicate themselves to disaster relief. They have not reenacted past dramas when they "sprinkled salt in the wound." That said, over the past few day a few politicians and pundits have descended to mud-slinging. One can only shake one's head at their contemptible behavior.

The exact cause of the disaster has yet to be determined. But some facts are simple and clear. For example, between the discovery of the underground pipeline leak and the explosion, a "missing three hours" demands explanation. Government inaction eventually led to disaster. This much is abundantly clear. Yet no one in the Kaohsiung City Government has stepped forward to assume any responsibility. All they have done is pass buck and shirk responsibility. Worse yet, instead of expressing grief and concern for the victims, some politicians are seizing the opportunity to demagogue the issue for blue or green political advantage. They are saying that the disaster was the result of past "favor the north, neglect the south" attitudes. Some media organizations zeroed in on the Second Lady's high heeled shoes, or how Sean Lien donated "only" 100,000 NT. Large numbers of netizens have engaged in name calling, as if everything must be a matter of blue vs. green. They just weren't happy if they couldn't link the disaster to the election.

To tell the truth, nobody wants a disaster like this to happen. The cause of the disaster may be difficult to determine. The gas explosion in Kaohsiung was the result of a long string of oversights and misjudgements. Those who bear responsibility must not be allowed to escape blame. That includes those responsible for the patch that fell off and allowed liquefied propene to leak out. That includes CGTD on the delivery end, and LCY Chemical on the receiving end. Abnormalities have been found. Yet transmissions are going on. They have not informed government authorities. Even now, the two companies are still shirking responsibility.

It is still unclear why the Kaohsiung City Government rashly assumed it was merely a natural gas leak. They should have sprayed foam. Instead they hurriedly sprayed water. As a result, the liquified propene, which is lighter than water, made its way underground. It combined with methane gas and ultimately led to unmanageable consequences. During those "missing three hours" the government could have identified the real cause, and sealed off the area to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Instead it did nothing. Since then, it has actually attempted to blame the Ministry of Economic Affairs. This sort of logic is truly amazing.

Suppose this incident had occurred in Taipei, or even New Taipei City? Would green camp politicians and pundits be blaming the Ministry of Economic Affairs? Underground pipeline management has always been the responsibility of municipal governments. Local governments, not the Ministry of Economic Affairs, are responsible for pipeline excavations and approvals. Some of the pipeline was allegedly 30 years old. If so, which party was in power during most of those 30 years? During the years in which it was in charge of the underground pipeline, just what did it do? Even if one avoids this line of thinking, what about the Kaohsiung City EPA and Kaohsiung City Fire Department crisis management for liquefied propene leaks? Were they sufficiently professional and up to snuff? Could this tragedy have been averted beforehand?

Some persist in blaming "favor the north, neglect the south" attitudes. This is lower than low. Greater Kaohsiung has an international deep-water port. The central government has invested vast resources in the city. Over the past 20 years, central government grants have been abundant and generous. Green camp leaders are perfectly aware of this. Complaints about the surrounding agricultural counties are one thing. But Kaohsiung probably has the least justification for complaint of all.

Major disasters often reveal peoples' true faces. The 9/21 great earthquake and the Kaohsiung gas explosion have both revealed the underlying decency of the public on Taiwan, and their love for their fellow man. Kaohsiung disaster relief donations and support from all sectors has yet to let up, Major League baseball player Chen Wei-yin even inquired about the fate of his hometown during a winning game. This is part of what makes Taiwan beautiful.

Unfortunately, the true faces revealed by major disasters are sometimes ugly ones. Those who should have borne responsibility, devote all their political smarts into shirking responsibility, prevaricating, or turning the spotlight on others in order to whitewash their own culpability. Most insufferable of all, some persist in linking the tragedy to blue vs. green partisan politics for the sake of the upcoming election campaign. Other peoples' pain is turned into their political capital. Over the past two days this practice has escalated. Alas, this drama has been replayed so many times, many people have seen through it and are weary of it. .

Keep your eyes open. Let go of blue vs. green partisan politics. Taiwan still has much that is beautiful, waiting to be discovered. When confronting one's failings, have the courage to own up to them. One will not necessarily be booed. One may in fact be affirmed.

社論－美麗的人性映照政客的醜陋
2014年08月06日 04:10
本報訊

政黨惡鬥下，藍綠支持者競相醜化對方，社會充斥著負面的思維與氣氛，讓人們對國家前途漸失信心。一場高雄大氣爆，雖然再度凸顯了政府公安管理的輕率及政客推拖責任、媒體立場掛帥的惡質，但也見證了台灣社會的溫馨與人道關懷，並未因政黨惡鬥、社會分裂而消失。大爆炸發生至今不到一個星期，社會各界捐款已將近10億元，義工與救援物資大量送抵災變現場，社會各角落的祝禱與慰問也持續送往高雄。

我們很高興見到，朝野高層都全心投入救災，未再鬧出以往競相「在傷口撒鹽」的難看戲碼。話雖如此，這兩天若干政客與媒體名嘴的醜陋語言，還是令人搖頭甚至不齒！

雖然災變的確切原因還有待認定，但仍有一些非常簡單而明確的是非曲直，譬如從發現地下管線漏氣道發生大爆炸「消失的3小時」，政府無所作為終於釀成大禍，第一層次的責任歸屬非常清楚，但我們並沒有看到任何人表現出最起碼的擔當，有的只是推諉、只是卸責；更過分的是，在這個表達傷痛與關懷都來不及的時刻，居然還是有政客企圖見縫插針，操作藍綠，說什麼釀災是過往「重北輕南」的結果；更有媒體將所有注意力鎖定在副總統夫人的高跟鞋，連勝文怎麼可以只捐10萬的無聊話題，還大量引述網友的謾罵，彷彿任何事不扯上藍綠，不連到選舉，就覺得渾身不對勁！

講實在話，沒有人願意發生災變，但危機的到來原本就很難測知，這次高雄的氣爆，就是一連串的誤失、誤判所造成，該擔責的，誰都逃脫不了。管線補釘脫落造成液化丙烯外漏，不論是輸送端的華運還是接收端的李長榮，已經發現異常了卻還在持續輸送，而且竟不通報政府主管單位，這兩家公司即便到現在，都還在一路推卸。

至於高雄市府這邊，則是還未弄清楚緣由，就輕率判斷是瓦斯漏氣，該噴泡沫卻匆忙噴水降溫，造成比水輕的液化丙烯隨地下水流竄，與沼氣結合成瓦斯，終致造成不可收拾的後果。這中間其實有3個小時的空檔，可以查明就裡，可以拉封鎖線禁止人車通行，結果是一樁事都沒做。事發至今，竟是想怪罪到經濟部頭上，這種擔當邏輯，確實令人嘆為觀止！

試問如果這檔事是發生在北市，甚或是新北市，綠營政客與名嘴會允許其上綱到經濟部嗎？地下管線管理本來就是城市治理的一部分，至少負責管線開挖與埋設核可的，可是地方政府而不是經濟部。若說部分管線年齡長達30年，那麼也不妨回顧這30年當中，究竟是哪個政黨執政較久，而這其中地下管線的治理，究竟做了多少呢？就算不追究這一塊，高市府環保局、消防局對液化丙烯洩漏的危機處理，算不算專業？算不算及格呢？這場悲劇，事前是不是可以避免呢？

至於還有人硬要扯什麼「重北輕南」，就更等而下之了！大高雄擁有國際深水港，中央的資源挹注從來不少，近20年來中央政府補助更是豐沛，綠營領袖自己最心知肚明，如果是周邊農業縣做出此抱怨也就罷了，高雄恐怕最沒資格這樣抱怨。

重大災變往往能映照出人類的真貌，從921大地震到高雄驚天氣爆，都映照出台灣人的善良、愛心與人道關懷；高雄災變各界的捐輸與支援到現在還未停歇，遠在美國大聯盟打球的陳偉殷，在贏球之餘關心家鄉的災變，誰說這些不是台灣最美的一部分？

遺憾的是，重大災難往往也讓一些人的醜惡面目現形，原本該承擔責任的，卻將所有的政治智慧用在卸責、推諉上，用彰顯別人的過失來掩蓋自己的責任，更不堪的是，有人還將之上綱到藍綠，為即將到來的選舉造勢。這種消費他人傷痛的災難政治學，這兩天其實已經逐步登場了。問題是，這種戲碼也演過很多次了，許多人不僅早已看穿，也早就已經都厭煩了。

睜大雙眼，放下藍綠，台灣還是有許多美麗的風景，等著我們去發掘！面對缺失，勇於承擔，換得不一定是噓聲，反而是更多的肯定。